A Further Tale Of Three Rings
by Jaggie 107
Summary: A Sequel To 'A Tale Of Three Rings'


Title : A Further Tale Of Three Rings  
  
Author : Jaggie 107  
  
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. I hope all parties will allow me to have a little fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.  
  
Rating : G  
  
Author's Note : For CapriceAnn, who wanted more! Thank you for reviewing!  
  
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Roberts' Residence  
  
"I'll get it!" Bud Roberts called out as the telephone rang. He was downstairs in the den of his house, and his wife was upstairs trying to tame an eleven year old and his five year old brother. "Roberts' residence."  
  
"Bud, it's Harm."  
  
"Hi, Commander. What's up?" Bud still persisted in calling his superior officers by rank and while Harriet was now comfortable in calling Harm and Mac by their christian names on appropriate occasions, they had long since given up on ever convincing Bud to do the same.  
  
"I've been asked to let you know, you're about to become an uncle."  
  
"Uncle? Mikey! You've seen him?" Bud's questions came out like rapid-fire, and Harm laughed into the receiver.  
  
"Mac was at the park with David this afternoon and got talking to a young woman. When her boyfriend arrived, it turned out to be Mike." Harm made the name change obvious, letting Bud know that his younger brother no longer called himself Mikey, nor would he tolerate anyone else doing so either. "Mike's girlfriend went into labour right there in the park and he took her off to the local hospital. If you get yourself down there you might be in time to meet your new niece or nephew."  
  
"I...I don't think so, sir. We... ah, I said some things to... Mike, I hurt him, sir."  
  
"He wanted me to call you, Bud. Said it would break the ice for you to find out your little brother was about to become a father."  
  
"Thank you, sir. I'll think about it."  
  
"Don't take too long, Bud."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Bud replaced the handset on the cradle and went in search of Harriet. As he entered the boys' bedroom she turned to look at him, and then stopped trying to tuck little Jimmy's pyjama top inside the bottoms, defeated by the wriggling five year old.  
  
"Bud? Honey, what is it? You look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
"That was Commander Rabb."  
  
"Harm? What did he want? Are they okay?" Harriet worried her bottom lip a little, Bud's expression - or lack of one - causing her concern.  
  
"Oh... yeah, they're all fine. Mac went to the park today, and met Mike."  
  
"Mike?" Harriet was caught unawares, and then realisation dawned on her features. "Mikey!"  
  
"He calls himself Mike now. He did that day... that AJ was lost."  
  
"Bud, what did Harm say?" Harriet went from worry to frustration. Bud still had the habit of drawing out an explanation to the nth degree, which still drove her to distraction, and to the occasional stamping of her foot to get his attention. "Bud!"  
  
"Wha... oh, sorry. Ah... he said Mike was at the hospital in town."  
  
"Hospital? Why? What's happened?" Harriet went back into worry-mode again, her voice rising.  
  
"Mommy, where's Uncle Mikey?" AJ spoke up, having heard his uncle's name mentioned. It had been a long time since he had seen the man, and although he knew no-one was mad at him, he also knew that it had been because of him being lost that his father and his uncle had not spoken or seen each other for such a long time.  
  
Bud seemed to come out of his daze at that remark, and he glanced down at his son on the bed before looking up at Harriet. "He's fine. Commander Rabb said Mike had asked him to let me know that my little brother was about to become a father."  
  
"A father? Mike! Oh, Bud, that's great! You need to get down to the hospital. Go! Now!"  
  
"But... it's been so long."  
  
"Bud Roberts, you will get your six in gear and get down to the hospital now, or else I will!"  
  
"The boys are ready for bed..." Bud tried to protest.  
  
Harriet shook her head at him. "We can all go! It won't hurt to put their coats on over their pyjamas. Come on!" In the blink of an eye, and with much more co-operation than she had been given to get them into their pyjamas, both AJ and Jimmy were in their coats, with socks and shoes on their feet. Bud found himself swept up by Harriet's enthusiasm, and soon they were in their car and on their way to the local hospital.  
  
The Hospital  
  
Mike sat beside Charlie's bed as she dozed. It had been a relatively short labour, for a first-timer, and a quick delivery. The midwife's comment had been full of dry humour. "This is a kid in one hell of a hurry!" Both he and Charlie had laughed at that, and then as their son was placed on his mother's stomach, they fell silent at the sight of the life they had created. Both had touched the face, the fingers and toes, the shock of dark hair. They had looked at each other and Charlie spoke softly. "Say hello to Michael Roberts Junior, Daddy."  
  
"Mickey." Mike replied, and Charlie nodded in agreement.  
  
The midwife popped her head in the doorway as Mike sat holding Charlie's hand. "Mr Roberts, you have visitors."  
  
Mike got to his feet and, gently removing Charlie's hand from his and laying it on the covers, followed the midwife out of the room. As he stepped outside he was met by Harriet's enthusiastic hug. Bud stood back a little, holding the hands of his two sons.  
  
"Mike! It's so good to see you!" Harriet held tight to her brother-in-law a little longer and then stepped back a little to look up at him. "Congratulations, I hear? Harm rang Bud," she added, in explanation. Mike nodded and turned to face his older brother.  
  
"Thanks for coming, Bud. Hey, guys!" Mike knelt down to face AJ and Jimmy. The former hung back, holding his father's hand. He had been a baby when Mike had dropped out of their lives and so treated him as he would a virtual stranger.   
  
AJ, on the other hand, hesitated only a second. "Uncle Mikey!" he cried, flinging himself at Mike and wrapping his arms round his neck. "I missed you, Uncle Mikey."  
  
"I missed you, too, AJ. I'm sorry it took me so long to see you again. It won't be like that again." Mike stood up and looked at Bud. Harriet held AJ's hand, and reached for Jimmy's too, as Bud moved forward slightly.  
  
The two men met in the middle of the corridor and, without words, hugged each other tightly.  
  
"Mommy, why's Daddy crying?" Jimmy asked Harriet quietly. He had never seen his father cry before. AJ had, when Bud and Harriet had thought he was in bed, but he had got up to use the bathroom and had heard them talking downstairs. It had been the day that he had got lost at the mall.  
  
"Daddy's crying happy tears, sweetheart. We haven't seen Uncle Mikey for a while, and we're so happy to see him now."  
  
Bud released his hold on his brother and stepped back a little, not quite letting go. His voice, when he spoke, was gruff with emotion, tears evident in his eyes. "Any chance we can get to see... your family?" he asked.  
  
Mike nodded, and then turned to include Harriet. "I've told Charlie about you all; she's always wanted to meet you. I... I was the one that wasn't sure how to get back together. I didn't... know if you... if I was still welcome."  
  
"Oh, Mike. You're our family, you always will be!" Harriet moved forward then to drop a kiss on Mike's cheek and then grinned. "Come on, then, 'Daddy', introduce us to your family," she added.  
  
Mike turned and opened the door to Charlie's room again, to find that she was sat up in the bed. "I heard voices. Is everything all right?" she asked warily, and then breaking into a wide grin as she recognised Harriet from the photographs Mike had shown her. "Harriet!"  
  
Mike smiled as his sister-in-law pushed past him and walked across the room to the woman in the bed. There was no need for formality. It was unspoken but accepted that even though they had never met, both women knew that what had gone on between their men was forgiven, forgotten, and the future was all that mattered. Harriet simply leant over and hugged Charlie, and then pulled back to include Bud in her greeting.  
  
"We didn't know about any of this, up until Harm rang a couple of hours ago. It doesn't matter, though. What's important is that we're all together now," Harriet spoke softly, and both Charlie and Mike nodded in agreement.  
  
"I don't know about you three, but my boys and I would love to know who the new 'addition' to this family is?" Bud added, grinning at his younger brother. As an afterthought he added, "... does Dad know?"  
  
Mike nodded. "He's met Charlie, and knows we're expecting. I haven't gotten around to telling him Mickey has made an appearance."  
  
"Oh, Mickey! It's a boy!" Harriet squealed in delight, and Charlie recognised a soulmate in her new sister-in-law. Both men turned at Harriet's delighted squeal, and caught the glance between the two women.   
  
Mike moved to put his arm around Charlie as he looked from her to his brother and sister-in-law, and their children. "Welcome to my family, Charlie."  
  
"Thank you, so much." Charlie's response was simple, but hearfelt. As she held on to Mike's hand she looked across at Harriet, Bud, AJ and Jimmy. "Would you like to meet Mickey now?" she asked.  
  
All four heads nodded, and Harriet spoke in return. "We thought you'd never ask!"  
  
Amidst the laughter Mike helped Charlie out of the bed and into her dressing-gown before walking along the corridor to the nursery. Baby Michael Roberts Junior, 'Mickey', was fast asleep in his crib, unaware that his appearance that day had brought a family together. 


End file.
